Retractable step for utility poles and the like



Nov. 15, 1966 L. E. LINDSEY 3,285,366

RETRACTABLE STEP FOR UTILITY POLES AND THE LIKE Filed May 24, 1965 iii/ 71111111, Y

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,285,366 RETRACTABLE STEP FOR UTILITY POLES AND THE LIKE L. E. Lindsey, 222 Vista Ave., Pasadena, Calif. Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 457,916 3 Claims. (Cl. 18292) This invention relates to utility pole structures and the like and more particularly to an improved retractable step adapted to be distributed along such structures for use by workmen climbing the same to perform service operations.

It has long been necessary to provide utility poles with steps along their sides for use by the workmen in climbing the poles. These steps are not only unsightly but present an inducement to unauthorized persons to climb the structure and the risk of injury to and even loss of life. It is a primary purpose of this invention to avoid these and other disadvantages attending the use of prior practices and to provide a simple, rugged and highly reliable retractable step which may be readily extended for use when needed and which normally occupies a retracted position substantially within the confines of the structure. The invention step is designed for permanent installation on metallic structures and includes a positive safeguard against the possibility of unintended disassembly.

Another feature is its capability of being shifted between its extended and retracted positions Without need for tools of any kind.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical utility structure having a preferred embodiment of the invention steps installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale with parts broken away showing the step fulily retracted;

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 2 showing the step extended;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 4-4 on FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the step in the process of being assembled to the utility structure.

Referring first to FIGURE 4, there is shown a typical installation of the invention step on a utility pole employed to support a group of fioodlights 11. Pole 10 is of tubular metal stock and has installed along its opposite sides the invention retractable steps thereshown in their fully extended position in readiness for use.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 to 5 the constructional details of a preferred embodiment of the steps are shown. Each retractable step unit 12 includes a rigid step member 13 of suitable metal having a free sliding fit within a short sleeve 14. This sleeve has a snug fit within an opening 15 through the opposite sides of pole 10 and is rigidly anchored therein, as by welding 16. Desirably the major portion of the sleeve lies within the pole structure and it has a length sufiicient to provide a rigid support for step 13 when the latter is extended in position for use by one having need to mount the utility structure.

As here shown, step 13 is upset at its outer end and desirably in the shape indicated at 18. This frusto- "ice conical head has several important functions. In the first place it limits the inward movement of the step when shifted to its fully retracted position. Additionally it provides an abutment to aid the workman in placing his foot inwardly of the steps outer end. The head 18 also provides a convenient grip for use by the workman when shifting the step to its extended position. Still another function is that the inclined sides of the head engage the outer end of sleeve 18 and seal the end of the tube against the entrance of foreign matter interfering with the smooth operation of the device.

One of the various expedients which can be employed to hold the step reliably assembled to sleeve 14 is here shown as comprising a spring keeper 20. This is a strip spring of generally V configuration acting in torsion and having its ends 21, 22 lying generally in the same plane but facing in opposite directions. These ends project through aligned openings 23 passing through the side walls of a counterbore 24 formed in the end of step 13. As appears clear from FIGURES 2 and 3, ends 21, 22 are sufficiently long to project beyond the outer surface of step 13 in position to abut the inner end of sleeve 14 when one retracts the step thereby positively preventing withdrawal of the step without first shearing these ends.

The installation of the step accessory is easily accomplished, preferably after sleeves 14 have been welded in place on the main pole structure. The pointed forward end of keeper spring 20 is inserted in the outer end of sleeve 14 and the step in then pushed toward the sleeve. This action cams the spring legs toward one another while retracting ends 21 and 22 within the outer ends of openings 23. The operator continues to push the step inwardly until the keeper passes beyond the inner end of sleeve 14. At that time the keeper spring snaps to its extended position, shown in FIGURE 2, thereby locking the step permanently in its installed position. The step is free to be shifted between its fully retracted position shown in FIGURE 2 and its fully extended position shown in FIGURE 3.

While the particular retractable step for utility poles and the like herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A metallic utility pole or the like having an upright tubular body, an opening through the side of said tubular body, a metal sleeve projecting radially through said opening and welded thereto, a rigid step slidably supported in said metal sleeve for movement between an extended position forming a workman support and a retracted position substantially interiorly of said tubular body, and spring keeper means on the inner end of said rigid step having converging legs located outwardly of the inner end of said step and having aligned free ends extending in opposite directions outwardly through diarnetric openings at the inner end of said step, and said converging legs being engageable with the interior of said metal sleeve to earn said legs together as said keeper means is forced axially along said sleeve thereby to retract the aligned ends of said legs inwardly of the outer ends of said diametric openings during the assembly operation, and said spring keeper means thereafter expanding to extend said aligned legs and lock said step against disassembly from said sleeve while leaving the step free for limited movement axially of said sleeve.

2. A retractable foot-step adapted to be installed on the side of an upright structure for use by workmen when desiring to climb the structure to service the same, said step comprising a short tubular sleeve adapted to be rigidly secured in a generally horizontal position on the side of the structure with the sleeve axis generally normal to the side thereof, a rigid foot-step slidable lengthwise of said sleeve between a retracted nonoperating position and an extended operating position wherein it forms a step to receive and support the foot of a workman, said step having an axial opening at one end traversed by a diametric opening extending thereacross closely adjacent the outer end of said axial opening, V- shaped spring keeper means having a pair of long'legs converging toward and merging with the apex portion thereof, the outer ends of said legs including oppositely facing V-shaped portions lying in the same general plane as said legs and with their apex portions normally spaced 7 closely from one another, the free ends of the last mentioned V-shaped portions lying in general alignment with one another and having a length greater than the diameter of said axial opening whereby said free legs can be assembled into said diametric openings by deformation of said spring keeper means and whereby after assembly the ends of said free lags always remain seated in the associated one of said diametric openings, said firstmentioned V-shaped portion after assembly being located exteriorly of said axial opening and having a normal maximum width in the plane thereof greater than the external diameter of said tubular sleeve, the remotely spaced outer sides of said first-mentioned V-shaped portion of said spring keeper means acting to cam the legs thereof together as the apex end of said keeper mean-s is forcibly inserted axially into the outer end of said tubular sleeve and being thereby effective to retract the free ends of said aligned legs into the opposite ends of said diametric openings until said foot-step has been assembled through said tubular sleeve, and said spring keeper means then automactially expanding to project the free ends of said aligned legs outwardly from the outer ends of said diametric openings to prevent Withdrawal of said footstep backwardly through said tubular sleeve.

3. A retractable foot-step as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said tubular sleeve is mounted in an opening through the side of a tubular metal utility pole and is welded thereto intermediate its opposite ends.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 627,893 6/1899 Becker 182-189 829,336 8/1906 Haycock 182189 994,726 6/1911 Dorman -83 1,435,887 11/1922 Anderson 24-213 1,843,263 2/1932 'Bales 853 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METALLIC UTILITY POLE OR THE LIKE HAVING AN UPRIGHT TUBULAR BODY, AN OPENING THROUGH THE SIDE OF SAID TUBULAR BODY, A METAL SLEEVE PROJECTING RADIALLY THROUGH SAID OPENING AND WELDED THERETO, A RIGID STEP SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID METAL SLEEVE FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN EXTENDED POSITION FORMING A WORKMAN SUPPORT AND A RETRACTED POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY INTERIORLY OF SAID TUBULAR BODY, AND SPRING KEEPER MEANS ON THE INNER END OF SAID RIGID STEP HAVING CONVERGING LEGS LOCATED OUTWARDLY OF THE INNER END OF SAID STEP AND HAVING ALIGNED FREE ENDS EXTENDING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS OUTWARDLY THROUGH DIAMETRIC OPENINGS AT THE INNER END OF SAID STEP, AND SAID CONVERGING LEG BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID METAL SLEEVE TO CAM SAID LEGS TOGETHER AS SAID KEEPER MEANS IS FORCED AXIALLY ALONG SAID SLEEVE THEREBY TO RETRACT THE ALIGNED ENDS OF SAID LEGS INWARDLY OF THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID DIAMETRIC OPENINGS DURING THE ASSEMBLY OPERATION, AND SAID SPRING ALIGNED LEGS AND LOCK SAID STEP PANDING TO EXTEND SAID ALIGNED LEGS AND LOCK SAID STEP AGAINST DISASSEMBLY FROM SAID SLEEVE WHILE LEAVING THE STEP FREE FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT AXIALLY OF SAID SLEEVE. 